Government Shutdown Timeline

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December 6: Congress passes a short-term funding bill to delay a shutdown occurring until after former President George H.W. Bush’s funeral.

December 11: President Trump and Vice President Pence meet with then House Minority Leader Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Schumer to discuss government funding in the Oval Office. President Trump demands $5 billion for the wall, but the Democratic leaders offer only $1.6 billion.

Congresswoman Pelosi and Senator Schumer leaving the White House after a meeting with President Donald Trump. Photo Taken From: pelosi.house.gov Photo By: Andrew Harnik, Associated Press

December 19: The Senate passes a short-term spending bill that would keep the government open until February 9, but does not include border wall funding. President Trump initially supports this bill.

December 20: President Trump changes his mind and no longer supports the Senate-passed spending bill. The House of Representatives passes a short-term spending bill that includes border wall funding.

December 21: The Senate fails to pass the short-term spending bill that includes the border wall funding.

December 22: Senate Majority Leader McConnell announces that no deal will be made, so the Senate adjourns until December 27.

Shutdown Begins midnight EST on Saturday, December 22

January 2: Congressional leaders from both parties meet with President Trump and administrative officials to discuss ending the government shutdown.

January 3: The Democratic Party retakes control of the House of Representatives, with Nancy Pelosi being elected Speaker of the House. The House of Representatives then passes a short-term spending bill that Republican leaders in the Senate reject.

January 5: President Trump states that he could declare a national emergency to get funding for the border wall.

January 8: President Trump speaks to the nation in an Oval Office Address. Trump spoke about the need for increased border security, specifically a a border wall. Speaker of the House Pelosi (D-CA) and Senate Minority Leader (D-NY) responded to the President’s address directly after he spoke. They conveyed a message of not supporting a border wall, but to re-open up the government and debate the issue of immigration separately.

President Trump giving his Oval Office Address. Photo Taken From: Director of Social Media of the White House Dan Scavino https://twitter.com/scavino45?lang=en

January 9: President Trump begins the day meeting with Republican leaders on Capitol Hill. Later, President Trump meets with a bipartisan group of congressional leaders to discuss ending the government shutdown. President Trump passes out candy, but the meeting ends abruptly after Speaker Pelosi says that she would never support funding for the wall.

President Trump and Vice President Pence visit Capitol Hill to meet with Republican congressional leaders. Photo Taken From: Director of Social Media of the White House Dan Scavino https://twitter.com/scavino45?lang=en

January 10: President Trump travels to McAllen, Texas with Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) and Senator John Cornyn (R-TX), where he visits the border and meets with border patrol agents, as well as the brother of officer Ronil Singh who was murdered by an illegal alien on December 26, 2018.

President Trump with Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) and Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) visiting the southern border with border patrol agents. Photo Taken From: Director of Social Media of the White House Dan Scavino https://twitter.com/scavino45?lang=en

January 11: The shutdown ties the record for the longest shutdown of the modern era.

January 16: Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi sent a letter to President Trump asking him to delay his State of the Union Address that is scheduled for January 29, 2018. Pelosi cited the government shutdown as a reason to delay the Address because of a lack of funding for security agents. Secretary of Homeland Security Kristjen Nielsen replied with a tweet saying that her letter to the President was incorrect and the Department and U.S. Secret Service are fully prepared for the event.